Five Syrian Army troops killed in southern Syria -- Russia

MOSCOW, June 23 (KUNA) -- Gunmen have attacked Syrian Army troops in southern region of Deraa killing five and wounding 19 others, the Russian Ministry of Defense said on Saturday.
More than 1,000 armed men of the (opposition) Al-Nusra front took part in the assault on the Syrian government forces in province, the Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The attack targeted the 9th Tank Battalion, positioned in the town of Dama and Deir Dama.
The government forces retaliated for the offensive, it said, also confirming that units of the opposition Syrian Free Army, which joined the government forces in the south on Friday, backed the government troops in confronting the attackers.
Deraa is among low tension areas, as declared according to a previous agreement.
Russia has deployed some military units in Syria, in addition to maintaining bases in the northwest, in support of Bashar Al-Assad's regime. (end) as.rk